Zucchini/Cucumber/Squash dal Kootu without coconut

Kootu is dal/pulses-based recipe. A kootu is a balanced dish having fiber, protein and carbs. It is usually less spicy and served as a side dish with spicy, tangy gravies with rice. Kootu can be made with or without coconut. I have already shared some kootu recipes using vegetables like bottlegourd/ridgegourd/chayote squash made with coconut(link). In this post, I have shared the kootu recipe using vegetables like zucchini/yellow squash/cucumber made without coconut.  For kids who prefer less spicy food, you shall mix this kootu with hot rice with a dollop of ghee and serve. Click here for One-pot Bittergourd Tamarind Curry recipe.

Zucchini/Cucumber/Squash dal Kootu

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

To pressure cook:

• Moongdal/Paasi parupu - ⅓ cup
• Chanadal/Kadalai parupu - ⅛ cup
• Garlic cloves - 3
• Asafoetida - Generous pinch
• Turmeric Powder - ⅛ tsp
• Sesame oil - ½ tsp

vegetables:

• Small onions - 10
• Tomato - 1 small or ½ of big
• Cucumber/Zucchini/Squash - 2

To temper:

• Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - ⅛ tsp
• Cumin seeds/Jeera - ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves - Few
• Asafoetida - Generous pinch

Spices:

• Sambar powder - 1 tsp or more
• Salt - 1 tsp or as required

To garnish:

• Coriander leaves - Few

Instructions

1. Wash and soak ⅓ cup Moongdal with ⅛ cup chanadal for 15 to 20 mins.
2. In a pressure cooker, add soaked dal, 3 garlic cloves, generous pinches of turmeric powder and asafoetida, along with 1 cup water and ½ tsp sesame oil.
3. Pressure cook for for 3 to 5 whistles in medium-high flame.
4. In a dry pan, add 1 tbsp coconut oil.
5. Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
6. Once seeds splutter, simmer and add cumin seeds.
7. Once cumin slightly starts to change color(do not darken/burn), add chopped small onions along with curry leaves.
8. Once onions are fried(do not darken), add chopped tomato along with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.
9. Once tomato turns mushy, add sambar powder/chilli powder and give a quick stir.
10. Add chopped vegetables(zucchini/cucumber/gourd/squash) and stir for a minute.
11. Add required salt and 2 to 4 tbsp water. Mix well.
12. Cook closed for 5 to 10 mins until the vegetables are cooked soft. In between, splash more water, if required.
13. Open pressure cooker and mash the cooked dal using potato/dal masher or just using thick bottomed ladle.
14. Pour cooked and mashed dal into cooked vegetable pan. Rinse the cooker with little water and add. Add more salt and mix well. Add 1 tbsp grated coconut(optional) now, if required/desired.
15. Let it boil for 5 mins without lid. Switch off once desired consistency is reached. Note that kootu will thicken over time.
16. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes

1.Coconut oil tenders nice flavor to the dish. But you shall replace with any cooking oil, if you want to avoid coconut oil.
2.You shall garnish with 1 tb sp grated coconut, if you love the flavor of coconut.
3.Increase or decrease sambar powder as per your spice level.
4.In place of sambar powder, you shall add plain chilli powder too.
5.You shall skip sambar/chilli powder and add few broken dry red chillies before adding onions.
6.Small onions can be replaced with half of a big onion.
7.If you are making this kootu in the morning for lunch, make it lil runny as it will thicken over time.

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Below is a pic of rice served with Radish tamarind curry and cucumber kootu made without coconut, as per this recipe. If you love the addition of coconut, you shall make it following this link using ground coconut mix. Both these recipes with/without coconut can be made with any vegetable like zucchini/cucumber/ridge gourd/bottle gourd/snake gourd/ashgourd/chayote squash/yellow squash.